A Well-Executed Approach, A Stroke of Luck … and Some Serious Flaws Nevertheless
As I have said to every one of my photography students
"You Can't Get it Right Until You First Get it Wrong!"
Paraphrasing myself
"Until You Have Made a Particular Mistake, and thus Become Aware that Said Mistake is Ever-Out-There-Waiting-to-Happen, Your Subsequent Images are Vulnerable!"
This morning I reminded myself of my own caveat. I took what has the potential to be an exceptional photo BUT because I aligned my camera in such a way so as to record certain distracting background elements along with intended foreground subject matter the would-be "exceptional" photo is flawed.
Now I will fix it in one-way-shape-or-form and generate a publishable derivative, but oh how I wish I had done better.
Because the subject matter, A BIRD IN FLIGHT, is inherently fraught with pitfalls, given its particular circumstances this day, perfection may not have been attainable regardless. Birds come and go as they choose and it's possible that the only way this shot was going to happen at all, was with the camera aligned exactly as it was when I clicked the shutter
But alas
Your comments, positive or negative will be appreciated.
The almost-exceptional but flawed image
White-breasted Nuthatch Taking Flight ( A. Mac)
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Mixed emotions.
Beautiful shot!
Thanks for sharing
No mixed emotions here, it's beautiful.
Nuthatches eat bugs, a plus if ya ask me. This is a very detailed look at the plumage. Something they eye doesn't see when it's moving, at least mine don't. The orientation is also how I remember seeing these birds. Coming down the tree upside down looking for a meal. Don't be so hard on yourself Mac it's very good.
The large whitish area at the right is part of a gas barbecue, the left wing is partly cropped and the head is just slightly out-of-focus; as noted, I will create a derivative but I'd like the original to have been flawless.
The background can be cropped out, the cropped wing tip is not really a defect easily expected in such a close up.
The slightly blurred head, is the only "flaw" as I can see it, he turned his head just before launch in between the shutter, faster than the shutter could catch. (there is also some minor "fish eye" right on his neck just in front of his shoulders) Do you have any pics a few millisec before that caught him at decision point?
If you do you can fix the focus and distortion issue with a blended overlay.
It's not a "perfect" picture, and not a perfect solution, but an amazing shot nonetheless.
Don't be so critical brother...
I can't fix it in the manner you described, NWM but a "fix" (or two) is on the way.
Is it possible that your sense of direction is "slightly flawed"? Or did you mean on the bird's right rather than the right side of the photo?
Because the branch just under the bird is in perfect focus, it appears that the bird might just be preparing for take-off and not yet actually in flight.
Otherwise, a great shot that is normally hard to get.
Sorry at the left of center of the background.
Any way
DERIVATIVE 2 more whimsical literal than the original.
All stunning shots...thanks for sharing them.